Penguin Plunge Raises $20,000 for Amelia Park Children’s Museum

Share

Tweet

Share

Share

Email

Comments

by Taylor Choquette, intern, WSU ’18

WESTFIELD – On Saturday, Jan. 27, the Amelia Park Children’s Museum held it’s 14^th Penguin Plunge. The event was attended by fifty participants and raised $20,000.

“The Plunge has been our main fundraiser,” said Executive Director Kate Daly. Money raised from this event will go towards everything that is needed to keep their doors open. The museum doesn’t get funding from the state or city, so the money raised is to cover operating expenses such as paying employees and heating bills to refurbishing their exhibits. The recently opened Dino Dig exhibit came from the money raised at last year’s Penguin Plunge.

Each participant in the plunge raises money, and the person who raises the most receives the Excelsor Award of $500. This year the award was given to Rick Barry for raising $4,764.18. There were also awards given out for best costumes, for both singles and teams. This year the best costume for an individual was awarded to Russel Linder, of Agawam, and best team costume was won by Alyssa Soto, Christopher Soto and Marissa Miller. There were also Ergie Shovels, a round of golf for four at Shaker Farm and a soccer net and chair raffled off at the event.

The Penguin Plunge is put on by chairs Diana McLean and Chuck Kelly and the event is run entirely by volunteers. Chuck Kelly, President of the Board of Directors for the museum, was awarded the Emperor Penguin Award for his outstanding leadership and volunteerism for the museum. “We thank the whole board and the community for making it happen,” Daly said.

While the Plunge is currently the only fundraiser, Amelia Park Children’s Museum is currently working to plan a Beer Fest for May in hopes to raise more money. However, with no plans set in stone for this new event, the museum hopes that the Penguin Plunge will continue to grow next year and continue to support the Amelia Park Children’s Museum operations.